RESOLUTION B3-0363, 0376, 0386, 0394, 0411 and 0420/93

Resolution on human rights in Rwanda

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its previous resolutions on Rwanda,

A.mindful of the acts of violence which have been increasing since January 1993 in the north of the country and which have been committed by the various parties involved, the RPF (Rwanda Patriotic Front), the regular army and commando groups which are waging a guerrilla war of which the civilian population is victim,

B.alarmed at the exodus of around one million people fleeing the north of Rwanda and heading towards the capital Kigali,

C.concerned at the extreme poverty of these people and the rate of malnutrition amongst children which has already reached 30%,

D.condemning the war crimes, summary executions, rape and looting which, according to the international commission of representatives and experts from human rights organizations, have been carried out by the Rwanda regular army and the Rwanda Patriotic Front,

E.condemning the destruction of houses and welfare centres and the occupation of hospitals, etc., some of which were set up and funded by European cooperation,

F.seriously concerned by any breach of the cease-fire agreement of 12 July 1992, and more so by the subsequent resumption of armed conflict,

G.aware of the efforts already made by the countries of the region as well as by Belgium, France and the United States acting as observers in the negotiations under the aegis of the OAU,

H.recalling previous appeals made by international organizations, institutions and non-governmental organizations, particularly the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly resolution adopted in Santo Domingo in February 1992,

I.having regard to the decision taken by the Rwanda Government and the rebels in Dar es Salaam to reconsider the presence of foreign troops,

1.Calls on the Rwanda Government and all ruling and opposition parties to resume the stalled Arusha talks and implement the agreements signed;

2.Calls on the government of President Habyarimana and the RPF to call a halt to all hostilities and implement a lasting cease-fire;

3.Calls on the government to put an end to the persecution of the Tutsi community reported by several commissions of inquiry;

4.Calls on the Rwanda Government and the RPF to take immediate action to end the torture and killing of unarmed civilians and take action against those responsible for such crimes;

5.Calls for the immediate release of all Rwandese already sentenced or awaiting trial whose only crime was to call for respect for human rights and the establishment of democratic institutions;

6.Calls on the international community and, in particular, the European Community to encourage dialogue between the various sections of Rwanda society, which must accept the rules of democracy in order to avoid a crisis which could rapidly plunge Rwanda into a situation which is unfortunately increasingly common in Africa;

7.Calls for early elections in the presence of international observers;

8.Requests the EC and its Member States to encourage the peaceful efforts that are being deployed by the OAU and the countries of the region and to this end requests the EC to increase its logistical and financial support to the OAU Observer Group so as to enhance its capacity to assume an increased role as an international peacekeeping force;

9.Calls on the Community, acting through ECHO and its Member States, to implement rapid effective humanitarian action to cope with the large number of displaced persons, inter alia by supporting the activities already undertaken in Rwanda by the WFP and the ICRC;

10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly, the OAU and the Government of Rwanda.